Watch: San Antonio Cop Benjamin Marconi Shot in the Head in Broad Daylight, Search for Suspect Ongoing
A San Antonio police officer was shot and killed ambush-style during a traffic stop outside the city’s police headquarters on Sunday morning, authorities said.
The officer was issuing a traffic ticket to another person around 11:45 a.m. when a black sedan with chrome rims pulled up behind the police vehicle, said police Chief William P. McManus during a press conference. Immediately after, a Black man wearing a gray shirt and gray pants got out of the car, walked up to the officer’s driver side window and shot him in the head, said McManus.
The supect then "reached in again, firing a second time," said McManus.
Police identified the victim as 50-year-old Benjamin Marconi.
McManus described the suspect as being a Black male between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet tall. After shooting Officer Marconi, the suspect — who McManus said possibly has a beard — got back into his car, pulled around the officer's vehicle and drove through the police headquarters' parking lot.
Marconi was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officer Marconi was a 20-year veteran on the force who worked as a sex crimes detective.
“This is everyone’s worst nightmare,” McManus said. “It’s always difficult, especially in this day and age where police are being targeted across the country and hopefully we’ll solve this one real quick.”
Currently, Chief McManus said there is no clear motive for the shooting. However, investigators are reviewing video footage of the incident. The shooting did not immediately appear to be related to the traffic stop, McManus said. Yet, it does seem similar to police ambush shootings that have occurred earlier this year in Dallas, Baton Rouge and Des Moines.
“We don’t have a motive. There are a couple of different angles that we’re looking at,” McManus said.
No suspect has been obtained yet and police warn the public that he is still at large and considered dangerous.
Additionally, the San Antonio Police Department is asking for help finding a man who may be connected to the shooting.
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Family and friends remember Marconi, who identified as a gay, republican and recently became a new father.
